Laptops - Let them sleep, keep them on, or what?

[Disney2002]

I just got a new laptop, and I was wondering how people treat theirs. Not considering power issues (keeping it plug in), do you keep yours on... or is it set to hybernate after a while, or do you turn it off?


I know some say powering up/down wears the harddrive.
But, keeping it on wears the fans, other components (not mechanically so much, but nevertheless)

What are your thoughts?

 

[tigsmom]

We always turn it off when we are done unless we plan on using it within a hour or so.

 

[Lil'mermaid]

I turn mine all the way off after every use. Most of the time I leave to plugged in so that way it can keep a full charge or recharge. It gets very hot if you leave it on, even just on sleep. Plus of you just hit sleep and close the top it does a full system shut down, then later you have to re-boot it.

 

[The_CEO]

Hybernate the puppy. It doesn't hurt it. It's there for a reason, use it! It's easier to use it cause it turns RIGHT on

 

[Disney2002]

Originally posted by The_CEO
Hybernate the puppy. It doesn't hurt it. It's there for a reason, use it! It's easier to use it cause it turns RIGHT on

That's what I've been doing. Seems system safe while user friendly. I had my desktop for 4 years running constantly and it did alright, however. No hybernate option with that though.

 

[Lil'mermaid]

If you do just Hybernate the thing, DO NOT leave it on top of anything!

 

[Disney2002]

Originally posted by Lil'mermaid
If you do just Hybernate the thing, DO NOT leave it on top of anything!

Well, mine has been on and running all day, and it's not hot at all. It's barely even warm. It is brand new, so I'm sure the cooling process has advanced.

I did notice that the dvd drive / burner gives off a TON of heat, however.

 

[speck76]

just toss it around for a bit and see what happens (I always turn mine off)

 

[Bill]

I keep mine off most of the time, but often I'll use standby. Also, I always turn my wireless off when I'm not using it. It's safer that way. However, I have heard everytime you shut down, a day is taken off of the life of your computer... though I've never seen any proof of that... well, I have gone through 4 laptops in the last 3 years...

LOL

All under warranty though, so didn't pay for any of them except the first one. I love Best Buy.

Though I expect this one will last me. Someone dropped theirs down 2 flights of stairs, and it still works. LOL.

 

[Disney2002]

Originally posted by Bill
I keep mine off most of the time, but often I'll use standby. Also, I always turn my wireless off when I'm not using it. It's safer that way. However, I have heard everytime you shut down, a day is taken off of the life of your computer... though I've never seen any proof of that... well, I have gone through 4 laptops in the last 3 years...

LOL

All under warranty though, so didn't pay for any of them except the first one. I love Best Buy.

Though I expect this one will last me. Someone dropped theirs down 2 flights of stairs, and it still works. LOL.

4 in 3 years. yikes! General accounting practices recognize a computer life at around 3-4 years. What do you do to the poor things?!:lol:

 

[tigsmom]

Originally posted by Disney2002
Well, mine has been on and running all day, and it's not hot at all. It's barely even warm. It is brand new, so I'm sure the cooling process has advanced.

I did notice that the dvd drive / burner gives off a TON of heat, however.

Its a Dell, barely 2 years old. For some reason it tends to get hot if you use it for any length of time.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Originally posted by tigsmom
Its a Dell, barely 2 years old. For some reason it tends to get hot if you use it for any length of time.

My Dell does the same thing...If I know I'll be using it more during the day, I'll hibernate it...if I probably won't...I do a full shut down.

(Oh, and I've noticed that my battery doesn't hold a charge too well anymore...it's not even the original...I've already replaced it once...it's supposed to be a 7 hour battery...(the original was 3 1/2) and it holds barely 2 now...and it's only about 7-8 months old...is this normal?)

 

[JackSkellington]

I have a HP, I bought it right before Valentine's Day. I usually turn it off, but this morning I forgot I put it into hibernation mode last night. And it is working fine now. It is not hot at all, but I suggest to power down. In Hibernation mode if something happens toit all unsaved data is lost. When you power down the laptop automatically saves everything. I don't think it matters which you choose. I also suggest going back to Best Buy and asking a sales rep if he knows which is better. Some will knowand others won't but ask it might really answer your question.

 

[Disney2002]

Originally posted by WDWFREAK53
My Dell does the same thing...If I know I'll be using it more during the day, I'll hibernate it...if I probably won't...I do a full shut down.

(Oh, and I've noticed that my battery doesn't hold a charge too well anymore...it's not even the original...I've already replaced it once...it's supposed to be a 7 hour battery...(the original was 3 1/2) and it holds barely 2 now...and it's only about 7-8 months old...is this normal?)

Batteries are funny like that. My digital camera battery works for about 10 minutes now. So lose power if they are constantly kept charging. Others will quickly die if you recharge them when they have not been close to fully depleted. But with a laptop, the power management should correctly dictate power flow to the battery when it is needed.

I personally don't know how my battery will fare. I've not even run the system off battery power yet.

 

[Mr Bill]

I just keep mine in hibernation when I'm not using it. I have a Dell Lattitude that was issued to me from school. I'd say things, but I'm at school right now.

 

[tigsmom]

Originally posted by WDWFREAK53
My Dell does the same thing...If I know I'll be using it more during the day, I'll hibernate it...if I probably won't...I do a full shut down.

(Oh, and I've noticed that my battery doesn't hold a charge too well anymore...it's not even the original...I've already replaced it once...it's supposed to be a 7 hour battery...(the original was 3 1/2) and it holds barely 2 now...and it's only about 7-8 months old...is this normal?)

I can't rememeber if katie got a new battery when she had it serviced ("someone" bent the prongs for a port and the recharger cable split), but I do know that when she uses it to watch DVDs the battery goes dead quicker. They usually don't plug it in until they get a warning.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Originally posted by tigsmom
I can't rememeber if katie got a new battery when she had it serviced ("someone" bent the prongs for a port and the recharger cable split), but I do know that when she uses it to watch DVDs the battery goes dead quicker. They usually don't plug it in until they get a warning.

OH!!! OK...maybe that's what it is then...because I really only notice it if I'm watching a DVD on it.

 

[Disney2002]

Yeah, the Dell documentation I received basically said you're basically killing the battery by watching DVD's or burning CD's without the computer being plugged in to AC. Both processes require a lot of power when compared to the general functioning of the laptop.

I also learned you can save power by making your display dimmer.

 

[Figment1986]

Interesting Discussion, I know IF I HAD a laptop I would have it plugged in most of the time and have it off or sleep mode if i will use it within 2 hours....

I should start thinking of what type of laptop i will get for graduation nextyear.....

(how dare a school give someone a laptop and not my district....)

(my dad has one from work and it works well when off or in slep mode at home...)

 

[cloudboy]

For the most part, we would tell our Laptop users that it really didn't matter that much. If you are not going to be using it for a day, then turn it off. If you have it plugged in and will be using from time to time, leave it on. Hibernate should be an automatic thing it goes into, if you have 2000 or XP you can put it in standby mode, too. But be sure to save everythign first - some of the Dells in particular have problems in standby.

As for the that problem, have that checked! There are some models that just have a problem with heat, but in many cases either something is bad, or you are blocking the ventilation ports (happens a lot). All that heat is more dangerous to the internal components.

If you are having problems with short life on the batteries, you can try a couple of things. If you constantly drain the batteries a little and then have it plugged in for a long time, they often develop memories. They say the new batteries don't do this but that has not been our observation. The other problem we found was that some people never run it off the batteries, and the batteries don't seem to like that. It's a good idea to run it on the batteries for a while every once in a while. Batteries only have a lifespan of about 2-3 years anyway.